


He Became a Legend

by MinishMae



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Male Friendship, Male Slash, Yaoi, jeanmarco
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-20
Updated: 2014-08-20
Packaged: 2018-02-13 23:18:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2169060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinishMae/pseuds/MinishMae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a expedition outside of the wall, Jean is injured badly. His friends, Eren, Armin, and Mikasa have no choice but to leave him there. There was no way of getting him help without him bleeding out. However, just as things seem bleak, a Titan shows up and saves him. It's not Eren though. This Titan helps him and saves him from an untimely death ...</p>
            </blockquote>





	He Became a Legend

**Author's Note:**

> So this was requested by someone on tumblr, and I asked for permission to do this, and lo and behold, here it is!  
> It's kinda short, and only one chapter, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless c: 
> 
> *First story to go on here, yeah!*

It was another expedition beyond the walls. Another chance for people to lose their lives, but also another chance to regain lost territory for the Titans. Everyone was on edge because so many people had already died in the two hours they had been outside the walls. Abnormals and normal Titans alike had eaten many of the Survey Corps, but the ones that stood alive and well pressed onward.

Horse hooves stamped against the hard earth that belonged to the Titans. One soldier lifted a gun to the air and blasted a red smoke signal into the air; a Titan was nearby. One formation, four of the 104th trainee’s had spotted it and rushed towards the flare. The four soldiers that went towards the flare were Jean Kirschtein, Armin Arlert, Mikasa Ackerman, and Eren Yaeger. They had all joined the Survey Corps for their own reasons … some reasons sadder and more meaningful than others …

The flare vanished into the air and the four soldiers could hear the stamping giant feet of a titan running around. When they got out into the open field and the trees were no longer obscuring their vision they saw another soldier riding away from the Titan, but it was hot on her trail, running after her.

“Shit, it’s an abnormal!” Jean yelled.

They were about to catch up to the soldier when the Titan plucked her from her horse. The animal neighed furiously and took off, running away from the terrifying TItan. The girl screamed and reached for her blades. She grabbed them and attempted to cut off the Titan’s fingers. She managed to do so, but fell from the monster’s hands. Luckily for her, Jean was right beaneath the giant’s hands and she landed behind him, on the horse with a thud. He looked back, assuring her she was going to be fine. She nodded, and they were met by Armin, Eren, and Mikasa.

“Good catch!” Armin exclaimed. Eren had his eyes on the path in front of him with such an intense look. Mikasa followed his glare. Another titan was coming from the north. Mikasa stood on her horse’s back and leapt from it and used her manuever gear to attach herself to the Titan’s back in front of them. She sliced against it’s neck and it pummeled into the ground. She returned to her horse and acted as if nothing happened. Everyone was impressed. The girl got Jean’s attention and she looked back. “Thank you for helping me. I would’ve been in trouble if it wasn’t for you …” Jean shook his head and looked back to the view in front. “Don’t thank me yet, lady.”

Suddenly, the crunching of grass behind them got their attention. Everyone looked back and saw the Titan without it’s fingers chasing after them. Mikasa was about to leap into action when all of a sudden …

**Crunch!**

The Titan had crushed the woman riding with Jean as well as the animal's hindquarters. Jean was flung forward and landed with a thud to the ground. He hit his arm hard and growled in pain .He attempted to get up, but just as he put his elbow to the ground, another crunch was heard, and the Titan stomped right on top of his left arm and shoulder!

“Fuck, Jean!!” Eren yelled. He leapt up from his horse and charged at the Titan, slicing at it’s neck. The giant creature fell to the ground with an earth shaking rumble following it.

Jean howled in pain as blood began seeping from his arm. Armin fled from his horse and ran over to his friend. Mikasa stopped her animal and ran to the aid of her friends. Eren ran over and stared down at his friend’s arm. His eyes widened looking at the horrid sight. Jean’s arm was hanging to his shoulder by a strand of skin. Blood was pouring out, and his face was going pale. Armin took off his cape and placed it on Jean’s nearly disembodied limb. Jean yelled out as the cloth touched his skin and cringed at the pain.

“Shit …” Armin whispered. “Mikasa, Eren, I can’t stop the bleeding!” he yelled to them.

Jean looked over at Eren and Mikasa. They both had disgusted and worried looks on their faces. And Armin was beginning to shed tears. He attempted to speak.

“Guys …” he choked out. “Don’t let me die …”

Suddenly the trio heard and felt rumbles. They looked out and saw about five Titans coming their way. Two were about 7 meters tall and the others taller than 10 meters. Everyone’s eyes widened in shock.

“It’s alright Jean, we’ll get you to safety!” Armin assured. He put his arm under Jean’s back and his arm over him and tried to help him to his feet. But that just made blood flow faster.

“AGH, FUCK, ARLERT PUT ME DOWN!” he screeched. Armin gently set him down and eyed the Titans getting closer. He looked back at Eren and Mikasa.

“What do we do?” Armin asked his friends.

Mikasa pulled her scarf above her mouth and looked at Jean sadly. “We need to leave him …” Everyone looked back at her, astonished by her response. Jean looked up at her with scared and pleading eyes.

“We haven’t enough horses to get him back safely along with all of us. His horse died.” she glanced at his arm one last time. “And on top of that, there’s no way we’d be able to move him in his current state. He’ll die due to the pain or blood loss before we even get him to safety …” she said at last.

Eren brought his thumb to his mouth. “I’ll turn into a Titan and-” Mikasa grabbed his arm and pull it away. “No! Don’t do that, we may not be able to control it!” Eren ripped his arm away from her and glared her down. Armin yelled to them, “Guys, decide quickly, the Titans are coming!”

Eren looked over at the Titan’s angrily and Mikasa looked down at Jean about ready to shed a tear. He looked up at her and had a pleading look on his face. He tried sitting up, but gave out to the pain. He felt tears welling in his eyes. “Mikasa …” he choked. “Please … d-don’t leave me here.”

Mikasa turned away and hopped on her horse. She reached for Armin’s hand and pulled him up. He looked sadly back at Jean. Eren took one last look at the Titans and stomped into the ground. “Dammit!” he growled. He knelt next to Jean and spoke softly. “I’m sorry man … I promise, I’ll avenge you … and destroy every Titan.”

“DESTROY THEM NOW, YAEGER!” Jean yelled, but recoiled in pain. Eren looked at the Titans and began running at them. Mikasa stopped him. “No, Eren, there’s too many!” she yelled at him. Eren gave a ‘tch’ and turned to grab his horse. The trio rode off, leaving Jean there in a bloody mess.

He craned his neck to look back at them and he felt a sinking feeling in his chest.

“No …. come back, please …” he pleaded as his voice cracked.

The Titans were finally closing in on him. He could feel the rumble coming closer and he could hear their awful groans. He closed his eyes and accepted his fate.

 _Please make it quick …_ he thought. _Make it painless if that’s possible …_

Suddenly he heard a roar that pierced the air. He lifted his neck and saw a pale Titan rush in and attack the other Titans. He blinked his eyes and stared terrified at it.

_Is that an abnormal? Or is it like Eren … a Titan-Shifter?!_

He didn’t get a good look at the Titan’s face, but he saw it beating the crap out of the others. The Titans had lost all focus on Jean and were trying to win against this Titan attacking them. The one taller than them growled and roared. It took out one Titan by throwing it to the ground and stomping on it’s head. Titan blood splattered everywhere. He took out a few others the same way, and the last one he bit into the sensitive area on the back of it’s neck.

When they were dead it roared in triumph. Jean couldn’t believe his eyes. This Titan took out five Titans like it was child’s play. The Titan finally looked back at Jean and began to approach him slowly. This Titan wasn’t like the others. It was light on its feet and the ground didn’t shake nearly as much when it walked. The face of the Titan looked much like the other Titan-shifters too. It’s face ripped with teeth spreading around its cheeks. It had brown eyes with dark circles around its eyelids and the most noticeable trait … the freckles on its cheeks. Jean began shaking as it approached him. And it knelt down next to him. That was when Jean blacked out and felt his body go limp …

\---

The smell of wood burning filled Jean’s nostrils and he woke up with a fright. He was inside an abandoned house outside of the wall from the looks of things, and he had been asleep on a rustic old couch. He was trapped in a cold sweat, and was terrified. He had a cape over him, and it was all bloody. He assumed it was Armin’s. He brought his right arm to his forehead and began shaking.

_How could they abandon me like that … I …_

Then he suddenly realized something was amiss. Not just the part about a small fire going in this abandoned house, and that he was completely alone in here for that matter. He went to bring his left arm to wipe the sweat off of his face when he realized …

_M-my arm … It’s … not there …_

A stub which was bandaged was replaced where his arm used to be. He felt sick to his stomach and a knot was growing in his throat. He was shaking horribly and the pain in his arm came back considerably quickly. He brought his right arm over to his stub and felt it. He still couldn’t believe it. He lay his head back down on the arm of the couch and sighed with both anger and sadness. He also felt betrayal …

“Oh, you’re awake …” a voice called out. Jean’s eyes opened quickly when he heard that voice.

_That sounded like … but it couldn’t be …_

He craned his neck and looked over near the neatly crafted fire and saw someone standing up. He didn’t get a good look at the man’s face and the glow from the fire was dim where Jean was laying. The person came to a sitting position on the couch, next to Jean’s legs. Jean felt butterflies in his stomach when he saw this person’s face.

“M-Marco ..?” he asked.

Marco smiled and nodded. “It’s me …” he replied quietly. Jean brought his shaky right hand up to Marco’s face and felt him. He felt real enough. Jean blinked back tears. Marco just smiled sadly back at him. His fingers were warm ...

“I’ve gotta be dreaming… this is just a terrible nightmare. I’ll wake up, my arm will be here, and … you won’t.”

Marco let out a quiet chuckle. But afterwards, he still kept a sad smile on his face. “I assure you … I’m real.”

Jean’s hand slid from his best friend’s face and he stared at him, just stared. He felt himself breaking and could only tell himself, _don't cry, don't cry._ Marco brought his arms to Jean and brought him in for a hug. Jean buried his face into Marco’s shoulder and began sobbing. They sat there in the dim light enjoying each other’s company as much as they could. He rubbed Jean’s back comfortingly and felt him shaking uncontrollably in his arms.

“I’m here, Jean …” he whispered. “I’m here …”

In a broken voice and in between sobs, Jean attempted to talk. “I- I saw your body …” he managed to say. “I saw it … your face … your arm … they were gone.” his sobs worsened thinking of the horrid image in his head. Marco almost felt on the verge of tears himself. Seeing his best friend in this terrible state didn't give him too much of a good feeling. He brought his lips to Jean’s hair and gave him a small kiss on the head. “It’s alright … don’t cry, Jean …”

“H-how is this possible …?” Jean asked. He seemed like he was calming down but he still sniffed every few seconds due to his crying. Marco still held him there and sighed. “I … I’ll tell you soon enough … I promise …”

Jean pulled away and slouched on the couch. His face was wet from tears, but he seemed relieved. Marco reached out a hand towards Jean’s leftside. “Can I see how it looks?” he asked. Jean nodded and turned to the right, revealing his stub. Marco placed his hand on his stub and frowned. He applied just a little bit of pressure to feel for swelling. It if was hard, it was swelling up. And it was.

“How does it feel?”

“Hurts …” Jean replied.

“Sorry …” Marco replied. He began to undo the bandaging on his stub and gently set the bandage aside. “I hope you understand I had to do this … you were losing way too much blood and I had to stop it. Amputating your arm seemed like the only solution …”

“Nah, man, I understand … it just sucks …”

“I bet …”

Marco placed his thumbs on the stitched up skin. It was mediocre stitching and it had begun to bleed again. Jean flinched at his touch and groaned.

“Ah, sorry …” Marco said quietly. “Agh, I need to stitch it up again …”

“Is that going to hurt ..?” Jean asked.

“Like Hell … I was only able to stitch it before because you were unconscious.”

“O-oh …”

“You were unconscious for two days … and I actually thought I lost you a couple of times. Your heart stopped and …” Marco shook his head and tried not to recall those terrifying moments. “Let’s get you something to eat … get your blood sugar back up.”

Marco stood up and walked over to the fire and poured some soup into a bowl for Jean. He put a spoon in the hot liquid and brought it over to his friend. He sat down once again and gently placed the bowl in his lap and he handed Jean the spoon.

It was funny trying to watch Jean eat his supper because he didn’t have his other arm to hold the bowl close to his face. But at the same time, it saddened Marco knowing Jean probably couldn’t be a part of the Survey Corps … or ever be a soldier again for that matter.

Jean put the spoon back in the bowl and glanced out the window that was right next to the couch he sat at. Marco joined him and glanced outside.

“So, where are we …?” Jean asked.

“A settlement a few hours north of Wall Maria. I got you here before Titans could find us. They have no idea we’re in here …” Marco assured.

“Won’t the Titans see the light from our fire?” Jean asked. Marco shook his head. “Nah, they’re not active at night. We should be safe …”

“That’s good.” Jean looked down at the soup and sighed. “I can’t eat anything right now … I don’t feel all that good right now.”

“But you need to get your strength up. And you’ll need to keep quiet as I’m stitching you up … we can’t give away our hiding place …”

Jean gave up and ate as much as he could, but with his stomach ache, it made every bite painful to hold down. When he finished, Marco set the bowl aside and walked over to the fire where the threading he had used to sew up Jean’s arm was. He was sterilizing the needle over the fire and picked it up and the thread he had. He walked over to Jean and sat down next to him. He took the stitches he had done before hand and undid them. Jean would flinch occasionally. Marco took a cloth and patted down on parts of his stub that were bleeding.

“Alright, Jean …” Marco sighed and held the needle. “This is gonna suck, but I’m doing this to help you …”

“Just get it done quickly …” Jean pleaded.

“I’ll try …”

Jean waited for the prick of the needle and Marco sighed once again. He put the needle to Jean’s skin and pushed it in. Jean’s skin tightened and he felt him flinch badly. He pulled the needle and thread through his skin and kept reminding Jean not to call out or scream or swear. It would just alert the Titans of their presence.

Jean would grit his teeth and punch the arm of the couch with his right arm when the pain became too bad. But it wasn’t as drastic as the feeling he got when his arm was crushed by the Titans a few days ago. After several excruciating minutes, Marco finally finished. He bit off the thread and finished the stitches. Jean’s stub felt tighter than it was … probably because the thread had come loose while he was unconscious.

“There, it’s done … sorry it hurt …” Marco apologized.

“Don’t apologize …”

Marco set the thread down at his feet and positioned himself on the couch so he was laying at the end opposite Jean.

“We’ll be here awhile, so just rest up …” Marco said, trying to get comfortable. Jean nodded. He looked over at Marco, and the butterflies in his stomach hadn’t subsided. He was so ecstatic that Marco was alive. Jean sat up. “Marco ..?” he asked quietly.

“Hm?” Marco responded. He sat up as well. “What is it?”

Jean showed a sad smile. “I’m really glad you’re ok, man …” he said quietly. Marco smiled. “I’m glad you’re ok too …”

Jean scooted closer to Marco and hugged him again. He buried his face into his shirt and breathed in. He was trembling again, but from pure happiness …

_He’s really here … he’s here in my arms …_

Marco laid back on the couch and took Jean with him and he lay next to him. Jean took his one arm and brought it around Marco’s back, and he laid on his stub, which felt uncomfortable, but he didn’t let it bother him too much. Marco pushed an arm beneath Jean and the other up to Jean’s hair. They lay there in silence as Marco played with Jean’s hair.

After about ten minutes of silence, Jean spoke up, breaking the silence.

“So … how did you get me here? I remember a Titan killing those other ones … but …” Jean yawned. He was tired, but wanted to know what it was that happened.

“Well, you see, Jean …” Marco sighed and stopped playing with Jean’s hair. At that moment, Jean knew he was serious about what he was going to say.

“I’m the same as Eren … and Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie … I’m, a Titan-Shifter …”

Jean remained quiet, unable to respond to that.

“I don’t know how it happened … actually, I can’t quite remember much after the incident in Trost, but … I just remember seeing Armin, Eren, and Mikasa leaving you there. And … those Titans were coming at you. So I charged them and …”

Jean felt Marco’s grip tighten just a bit, but it didn't bother him.

“I’m so sorry … I couldn’t show up sooner.” Marco said quietly as his voice cracked. “I could’ve saved your arm as well, but …”

“Stop.” Jean replied. “You don’t need to be sorry. You saved me, and I’m pretty damn happy I’m not dead …” he sighed happily. “And I’m glad you’re not dead either …”

The two yawned in unison and no more words were needed. They just held each other in their arms and fell asleep.

Several hours passed and a rumble erupted from outside. Jean’s eyes flickered open and he was still in a half asleep state. But the rumbling got louder and he knew deep down that a Titan was lurking outside somewhere. After his unfortunate mishap with losing his limb to a Titan, his heart thudded hard against his chest with anxiety. He was so scared, not only for his sake, but for Marco’s as well. He looked down at him, and Marco was out of it; sleeping like a rock. Jean lifted himself up and Marco’s hands slid from Jean’s body to his side. He moved in his sleep and turned away from Jean.

Jean was feeling ballsy and wanted to take a look outside the window.

_What if the Titan is right there in the window?_  
 _But how far is it away? Are we safe?_  
 _… Are we going to die?_  
 _Fuck …_

He breathed in and out, and in one quick movement, looked out the window, almost expecting to see a Titan eyeball glaring at him through the window pane. He let out a huge sigh of relief. Nothing was there, but he felt the rumbling getting closer and closer. His thoughts suddenly went to the fire. He looked over at it and all he saw were small embers burning. They weren’t making a big enough light to alert the Titans if one walked by.

He looked out the window once more and suddenly a giant foot stomped into the gravel outside. Jean took his right hand and covered his mouth, absolutely terrified.

_No sudden movements, Jean …_  
 _Calm down, calm down …_  
 _Oh man, a few feet over and it would have crushed Marco and I …_

The Titan stomped away and Jean went to lay down again, shaking uncontrollably. He wound his arm around Marco’s upper body and clung to him tight. He hoped he didn’t wake him up, but at the same time, it would be nice if he could play with his hair again … he needed to be calmed down. Soon, however, Jean found sleep at last.

\---

Jean and Marco spent almost a week in that house. They waited for Jean’s wound to heal … well, to the point of where it didn’t bother him and he wasn’t lightheaded. Marco would go out into the wilderness and hunt for things they could eat. He wouldn't find much, and maybe nothing at all ... Whenever he came back, Jean would run to the door and hug him tightly, just glad to see he was alright. And every night, they would stay quiet inside the house in case a Titan was to walk by. Jean was confused though … in the week that they had been in this house, he thought the Survey Corps would ride by on horseback or at least check the houses or something …

Finally came the day when Marco said they couldn't stay there much longer. This was going to be difficult though … they had no horses. Jean was completely lost at what to do. The two of them walked outside and no Titan was in sight. That was a plus for sure. When Jean asked what they were going to do, Marco rolled up his sleeve and took his thumb in his mouth. A blinding light flashed and Jean covered his face from the light. Several seconds later he looked ahead of him and saw the Titan that saved his life a week ago. He smiled and used his maneuver gear to get himself onto Marco’s shoulder. Titan Marco smiled at him, although, it seemed like he was smiling all the time, thanks to his deformed mouth. Marco took his hand and pat Jean into place and took his hands and balled them into fists. Jean was confused at first, but understood what he meant.  
Hang on for dear life.

Marco ran as fast as his Titan legs could take him. They weren't attracting too many Titans, and most didn’t even bother them. It was smooth sailing for a solid 45 minutes. Jean’s face lit up when he saw Wall Rose coming into view. No Titans were around the wall as far as he could see. When Marco saw the wall, he picked up his pace and ran faster.

Back on Wall Rose, the Garrison regiment were talking about this and that, wondering what was going to happen today, or if anything would for that matter. Since Trost was taken back, and Annie was sealed in her crystal, not much had happened. One of the Garrison members noticed something in the distance. It was a huge Titan running straight for the wall!

“Ready the cannons!!” one soldier yelled.

Jean noticed the small specks of people readying their weapons.

“Marco, they’re gonna shoot!” Jean yelled. The Titan turned his head to Jean and then back at the wall, narrowing his eyes. When he finally came close to the wall, cannons were fired out at them. Jean yelled up at the idiots controlling the cannons.

“Stop shooting you morons!!” he yelled out.

One soldier pulled away from the cannon. “Who is that?” he wondered.

“I- I don’t know, but he’s riding on that Titan’s shoulder. That kid is gonna die if he’s not careful!”

Marco approached the wall finally, and it was much too high for him to jump over to get Jean safely inside. He plucked Jean from his shoulder and held him in his hand. He jumped up and set Jean on the wall’s rim. Titans having heard Marco running were coming to investigate.

“Son, are you alright?” a Garrison member asked. He saw Jean’s severed limb and went to help him, but Jean pushed him away.

“Marco! Titan shift back to normal or some shit!” he yelled. “Whatever it is you do, go back to being a humaaaan!”

Two Garrison members looked at each other, confused.

“Marco?” one asked.

“Is he referring to that Bott boy that passed away a month ago?”  
The other one that started the question looked down at the medium sized Titan. “Don’t tell me that one is a Titan shifter too!”  
Marco looked up at the ones on the wall and at a worrying Jean. He seemed to smile at Jean, but he couldn’t be sure. And with that, he went off to defend the wall from the oncoming Titans.

“What’re you waitng for!?” Jean yelled. “Help him!”

The soldiers were flabbergasted, but did so anyways. And soon the Titans were defeated. Marco’s Titan body went to a sitting position, and the human slowly emerged from the neck. Jean, along with several Garrison members went to his aid and pulled him back to the top of the wall.

News got out that Jean and Marco were indeed alive. Everyone in the Survey Corps was ecstatic. Armin burst into tears, and Eren kind of had a gut feeling about Marco’s Titan Shifting abilities. He couldn’t be killed off that easily. Levi congratulated Jean for surviving and apologized that he hadn’t tried to help. He sounded like an asshole as he said it, but Levi was definitely sincere. Marco and himself exchanged greetings and he was accepted into the Scouts.

Although the two of them had dreamt of joining the Military Police together, they figured this was the next best thing. And now, having two awesome, badass Titan Shifters on their side, the scouts were stronger than ever!

And every night, in the barracks, Jean would sneak over to where Marco was and they would talk as they lay there. Marco would play with Jean’s hair, and they would fall asleep, entwined in each others arms.

And of course when everyone woke up, they were indeed the topic of the morning chatter. But overall, they were called a Legend for surviving a full week alone and by themselves without any backup outside of the walls. Jean may have almost died, but now he was respected as the ass everyone knew him by.


End file.
